Dieback: The Science and Soul of the Great 21st Century Famine
Unveiling the Causes, Consequences, and Radical Solutions for Humanity's Greatest Challenge
Introduction
For the first time since the Green Revolution, humanity is on the brink of large-scale, devastating famines, set against a backdrop of food scarcity, climate change, and ecological collapse. This book explores the profound challenges that lie ahead as population and consumption rise while Earth’s resources dwindle. Dieback is not just a story about crisis—it’s a call to action for a radical shift in human consciousness and behavior, grounded in science and spirituality.
The Problem: Humanity’s Precarious Relationship with Nature
The Perpetual Famine: A Silent Crisis
For the past half-century, humanity has lived through what I call a perpetual famine. Though often invisible, it’s no less devastating:
800 million to 1 billion people suffer daily from hunger caused by caloric undernourishment.
2-3 billion people suffer from malnutrition - that is, their diets are deficient in important life-sustaining vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. Many experience blindness, anemia, and stunted growth from these micronutrient deficiencies.
Each year, 9 million lives are lost to hunger-related causes, mostly from diseases their nutrient-deprived bodies cannot fight.
This is not a distant or theoretical problem. It is happening now across much of the planet.
Why Famine Is Inevitable in the 21st Century
The triggers of dieback
A sharp decline in the human population—what I’m referring to as dieback—is Nature’s way of self-correcting imbalances. In the coming decades, we are likely to see:
Climate Change: Unrelenting heatwaves, floods, and droughts disrupting global food supplies.
Ecosystem Collapse: Soil erosion, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are destroying the very foundations of agriculture.
Armed Conflict: Wars over scarce resources like water and arable land will exacerbate famine, particularly in regions like Africa and the Middle East.
Inequity: Political decisions will determine who eats and who starves, with geography dictating survival.
Overpopulation and Overshoot
The UN projects that the global population will rise from 8 billion to more than 10 billion by 2100. Feeding these billions would require:
A 50-100% increase in food production.
Dramatically higher resource efficiency.
Radical dietary changes, including a global shift away from meat.
Yet humanity is sabotaging its chances by exhausting natural resources. As Richard Heinberg said, we have already reached peak everything—soil fertility, groundwater, fisheries, and even climate stability.
Propositions for Understanding and Addressing Dieback
The Dieback is Inevitable Without Change
Food production will fail to meet the demands of the growing population, leading to massive starvation, societal collapse, and population decline.
Humanity is Stuck in a Crisis of Consciousness
Our outdated values, beliefs, and paradigms are driving overconsumption and ecological collapse.
Powerful Institutions Resist Change
Governments, corporations, and vested interests cling to the status quo, blocking progress.
A Paradigm Shift is Required
We must transition from human-centered thinking to an integral worldview rooted in equity, sustainability, and ecological harmony.
Change Agents Hold the Key
Education, art, meditation, and the judicious use of psychedelics can catalyze the internal and cultural shifts necessary for survival.
Nature Will Enforce Change
If humanity doesn’t voluntarily adopt sustainable practices, dieback will enforce compliance with natural laws.
Solutions: Building a Sustainable Future
Practical Steps to Avoid Future Famine
1. Localize Agriculture
Focus on regional, sustainable farming practices to reduce dependence on global supply chains.
2. Revolutionize Diets
Transition to plant-based diets to ease the environmental burden of meat production.
3. Reduce Consumption
Advocate for "degrowth"—less production, less waste, and fewer resource-intensive lifestyles.
4. Strengthen Communities
Invest in education and community-led solutions to promote equity and resilience.
5. Catalyze Global Action
Enact policies to curtail overpopulation; refashion societies to function sustainably with plummeting birth rates; restore ecosystems; and support regenerative agriculture.
The Role of Individual Action
Work Less, Consume Less: By reducing work hours, consumption, and reliance on fossil fuels, individuals can contribute to ecological balance.
Play, Serve, Contemplate: Pursue simpler, more meaningful lives focused on connection, creativity, and mindfulness.
Conclusion: A Revolution of Consciousness
Humanity’s salvation requires an internal revolution as much as an external one. Solutions are simple but radical—embracing science, spirituality, and a return to harmony with nature. Will we rise to the challenge, or will Nature force our compliance?